Forensic Odontology
by Jason Layton
Summary: A little fic about the Coventry Boys. Spoilers for SO2 EP1.
1. Chapter 1

**So some more dentistry rubbish this time based on SO2 EP1 so some spoilers later on if you haven't seen it.**

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><p>When I was first offered my place at Glamorgan, I was terribly excited. Just after my VT I'd discovered dentistry wasn't for me, all that breathing gurgling and snorting made my flesh crawl. Please don't get me wrong, it wasn't the smell, oh goodness did my patients smell, but it was their vitality that really made me shudder. Throughout my training I'd always preferred the phantom heads to the real patients, and would often call for unnecessary study models so I could study my more complicated cases away from the hot wobbling flesh hole in which my real interest usually resided.<p>

This was why, so soon into my career I applied to study for an MSc in Forensic Odontology. Oh the wonders of cold, unmoving flesh, harsh cream bones, fragments of jaw and joy upon joy paper dental records. The musty manilla of NHS record cards on which successive hands of nurses and dentists have plotted away the life of the corpse in front of me. My favourite part of the job, matching the quivering jellied mess on the table to those musty envelopes, the excitement I feel everytime is palpable, the thrill of the chase, and the joy of a case closed.

However my tutors were somewhat concerned, I believe, I was rather attracted to the darker aspects of the work. Uninterested in discovering rapists from their bite marks, I wanted to study those stripped bones, the greying mass, the lives extinguished. So I wasn't surprised when I was called into Professor Carabot's dark little office. I'd been studying for about 18months, and unlike my colleagues I hadn't been drawn to either the Disastor Relief Organisations or the Police Forensic Science departments. In fact my only real extra-curricular draw had been Modern Eugenics. Still a rather frowned upon doctrine, even 60 years after the Nazi's fell.

I was however intrigued when Dr Carabot was not alone for this meeting, I've often discovered people like to keep their dealings with me, quiet. There was a tall ginger gent, standing behind her desk, black umbrella swinging in his hands and a dangerous smirk on his face.

"Come and sit down Green" Dr Carabot said sternly, and I wondered briefly if my private collection of 'artifacts' had been discovered in the fridge in my diggs, perhaps this man was a policeman.

When he started speaking I realised no, definiately not a policeman.

"You are Dr Lancely Green? Lately of the turner Dental School, Manchester?"

"Yes?" I answered, "I was briefly employed at the Oasis Dental Practice Salford as a VT, and now I'm here doing my MSc" I felt I should clarify

"Quite" the man said again, frowning and staring at the tip of his umbrella. "You have no interest in criminal investigation, Dr Green?"

"Erm, no, er...Sir?" I stammered

"Good, good" he mused for a few moments before fixing me with his entire stare "Well, I've spoken with Ms Carabot here, and the school is happy to award you with full honours your MSc immeadiately, and I will expect you to start work next Monday morning" he smiled obviously unaware that I hadn't a clue of what he was talking.

"Excuse me, Sir?" I stammered like an idiot again, "but I haven't a clue to what you are referring?"

"Dr Green, on Monday you will start in the employ of the crown, a suite of rooms have been arranged for you in a small house in York Terrace, we require your...unique...sensibilities, now if you excuse me I must be off"

"Sir?" I stopped him "You should know, I am an awful dentist"

"Yes, Dr Green, but I am assured a wonderfully macabre Forensic Odontologist".

With a flick of his umbrella he was gone, and I was left alone and stunned sitting in Professor Carabot's office.

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><p><strong>Going to leave this here for the minute,may update later on.<strong>

**Jas xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

The work is not particularly taxing, and in fact at times it can be rather repetitive, but Mr Holmes, because as I later found that was my employers name, was certainly right when he said I had unique sensibilities for this job.

I was tasked to "Project Coventry" based upon the principle asserted by Group Captain FW Winterbothamthat after the capture of the German enigma machine the boffins at Bletchley Park intercepted the German plans to bomb the city of Coventry in Autumn 1940, but that Winston Churchill ordered no defence to be maintained lest the Germans suspect that their cipher had been broken.

However my own role on the project showed a distinct shift in policy from 1941, then 176 people were killed 680 injured. Now we aim to keep possible loss of life to nought. I will not pretend to understand how my superiors plan their operations, in fact that isn't my role. Mine is much more simpler.

Approximately 1644 people die in the UK everyday, 548 die without an immediate next of kin, or close family, 49 of those will die through external force, and approximately 218 will have arranged the means of their disposal. This means that 281 corpses a day could be appropriated by our project without anybody really noticing. The odd seperated wife, or distant relative but generally their bodies wouldn't be missed.

My colleague in the project a disgraced government pathologist Dr Ariadne Zimmer will do some general inquiries into the general health of these, and usually around half will be disregarded because of an underlying health issue which would make identifying them...easier. Finally I am presented with around 140, corpses without any major distinguishing features.

Firstly I like to discount anybody with less than 25 natural teeth, unless they are usual denture wearers. I also discount any corpse sporting private crowns, fillings or implants and the records for these should be fairly impecable. This narrows my field down to around 100, finalists.

Then I spend some time with those imperfect manilla cards, I chart my charges dentition. I am looking for "normal" dentition, occlusal amalgam fillings on the 6's, perfectly normal. Missing 8' and 5's, perfectly acceptable, composite tips on the upper anterior's perfectly dull. I am aware I may have lost some of you, so let me explain.

Think about your own mouth, I am sure you don't have all 32 perfectly erupted and unfilled teeth. Nobody does, and if they did their dental records would be easy to find, and no good to our project. I am sure you don't have an amalgam (metal) filling on your front teeth, very few people do, and if they did their dental records would be easy to find, and no good to our project.

However at least some of you, will have a composite (white) filling on your front teeth, a lot of you will have amalgam fillings of your first molars, and most of you will have at least one tooth missing. This is average dentition, and for our project perfect.

Because what we are looking for is corpses, who can be lost in the system, people so average they can be lost in the crowd, and of my 100 I will probably find 10, that I wouldn't be able to find in the system.

The next day my work starts again.

If you've ever seen "The Man Who Never Was", you would know where my ten bodies go. I like to imagine them, untraceable, perfectly preserved waiting for there moment, where they become...the unidentified dead.

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><p><strong>So what do you think?<strong>

**I want a series based on the Coventry Boys!**

**Jas xxx  
><strong>


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